Ornamental display device



April 25, 1933. C. T, W|TTSTE|N 1,905,544

ORNAMENTAL DI SPLAY DEVICE Filed July 13, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l lATTORNEYS April 25, (3l T. W|TTSTE|N ORNAMENTAL DISPLAY DEVICE FiledJuly 13, 1929 n 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l ATTORNEYS April 25, 1933 c. T.wlTTsTElN 1,905,544

ORNAMENTAL DI S PLAY DEVI C Filed July 13, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 ya.nnmull www l:

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Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED Ajsria'ras CHARLES fr. WITTSTEINQoFiNEWARK, NEW JERSEY oRNAMEN'rAL nrsrLArn DEVICE Application ined Julyis, 192e.` sei-iai nastiest.

This invention relates in general to the association of light-ingeffects with sound producing mechanism, for example a radio loudspeaker. The pleasing aesthetic and psychological effects produced bycorrelation of color and music are already recognized, and one objectvof my invention is to provide Va novel and improved apparatus forcombining or correlating sound and color in a simple, inexpensiveandefl'ective manner.

`Another` object is to provide such apparatus including a novel andimproved construction aiid combination of a light reflecting or lighttransmitting screen and means for projecting thereon colored lights,Whereby infinitely varying lighting effects can be obtained.'- y

Other-objects are to provide apparatusof the character described wherebythe lighting or color effects can bechanged at the will of the operatorinstantly and with ease and without in any manner disturbing the soundreproduction; to providezsuch apparatus embodying a hollowsphericalsegment `which has its interior surface polished, in; combination 'with'means for projecting light vupon said polished surface;and to obtainother advantages and results as will be brought 3D- out by the followingdescription.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding parts aredesignated by the same reference characters throughout the severalviews, A y

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical'sectional view taken on the line 1--1yof .Figure 2 through an illuminated sound reproducing apparatusembodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation ot the apparatus with portions brokenVaway on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan View ofthe apparatusA with portions broken awayon the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4c is a horizontal sectional vien7 on the line a of Figure 1. 1

Figure 5 is a detached plan view of the discy color screen. n

Figure 6 isa view similar to Figure l showing a modified form of theinvention.

`A sounding 'discharging tube 4 below the top wall l of 'the casing andsubstantially in theA outlet Figure 7 is a vie-w Isimilarl to Figure 2showing thel .form illustrated in Figure 6. K f 1 Figure 8 is anenlarged transverse vertical sectional viewithrough'the color screenl ony the line 8 8 of Figure 7.' f 55 F'gure 9 isianr end elevation of thescreen shownV in. Figures 6 and 7. Figure l0 is a detachedy perspective-vienT of the color screen.V f

Figure l1V is a transverse verticalsectional '6.0

color Y view through another form of the invention, vand,

Figure 12 isla front elevation thereof.

Specifically describing the embodiment of the invention illustrated inFigures l'to 5 inclusive, the reference character A designates acasing'` having a flat top wall ll in which is formedan opening 2 whichconsti- Y tutesthe outlet for a sound lproducing mechanism whichis-shown as comprising a magnetic radioyloud speaker unit 3 connectedyby a sound conductingjtube 4 to the outlet opening l2. I

'board 5 man, 'form 5f-sun stantially a quarter segment of a hollowsphere ismounted uponthe top Wall-l'above Ithe opening 2 so as toproject the'sound from said opening upwardly and outwardlyaway fromsaidopening. yThe sounding lboard 5 in eifect forms a horn-like recesswith the top wall lofthe casing, and is substantially an extension of'the sound discharging tubel 4 of the sound-producing mechanism.Preferablythe concave inner surface 6 of the sounding board'is'highly-polished', al- 85 though this is not absolutely essentialto theinvention.

A source of light, such yas `anincandescent electric lamp 7, is arrangedWithin the sound opening `2. A color screen which is in the .form of vaflat'disc 8 is journaled upon the underside of the top Wall 1 onasuitable shaft 9 with a portion extending into the opening 2 betweenthelight source4 7j and the inner side 6 of the sounding board 5.- .Thisdiscmay'be of any suitable construction, but preferably comprises apluraltyof segments 10 of dierent shapes and sizes and of differentcolors, and preferably the segments are formed of transparent or otherlight passing material, such as glass. A knob 11 is connected to theshaft 9 at the upper side of the top Wall 1 for rotating the disc.

In operation of the apparatus, the loud speaker unit 3 is. connected toa radio receiving rset in the usual manner and sound Waves aredischarged through the tube 4 and outlet opening 2 intothe stage-likevrecess produced by the sounding .board 5 onthe .top Wall 1. Thesounding-board then projects the sound upwardly and forvvardly.-y The`lamp 7 is connected to any suitable sourceof electricity and is lightedduring operation of the apparatus, when desired, and ycontrolled by asuitable switch: (not shown). The rays oflight pass through thetransparencies of the disc' 8 and become colored according to the colorsof the segments 10, and lthecolored light is rprojected upon-thepolished inner surface 61of the soundingboard- Remarkable and highlyaesthetic lighting'- elfects resembling oating clouds are thus produced;and by rotating the disc 8 the color-eifects may be changed, that is,when the disc is rotated, diiferent colored segments are arrangedin thelpaths of the light rays from the lamp 7. Obviously the color projectedupon the inner surface 6 of the sounding-board may be changed at will tosuit the operator and they particular music or the like being reproducedby the sound producing mechanism. VViththe inner surface 6 highlypolished, slight changes in position of the observer or the `disc 8yvill cause remarkable changes in color effects, and it has been foundthat With only tWo or vthree ofthe transparencies 10 of diiferent colorarranged over thelamp 7 an innite numberl :of color tones on the innersurface of the sounding board will be produced. The conformation of thecolorspots or bands can of course be changed by'varying theshapes of,the segments l0 and in other ways Which will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art. Itwill be observed that the light source isconcealed outside the boundaries of the concave surface 6, andthatthelight raysare projected uponsaid surfacefrom one edge ,thereof andinadirection approximately corresponding to the curved plane of thesurface; this results in a glarelc'ss. and soft blending of the coloredlight. f u

rIhe sounding-board 5 in connection with the top Wall 1 of the casingcloselysimulates a miniature stage or proscenium, so that the observeris given the suggestion ofk a stage performance which is especiallyrealistic -Where operatiefl or -.dramatic productions are .beingreproduced by the sound-producing mechanism. Igalso contemplatedecorating ithe inner snrfaceG, and I -may provide a plurality ofremovable decorationsv which 4can be interchanged asI desiredgglorexample, I may provide a channel guide-Way 12 at the bottoni of thesounding board 5 adjacent the top Wall l and utilize a plurality ofdifferently decorated flexible strips 13 which can be slipped endwiseinto the guide 12 and held thereby in close conformity With the innersurface 6. The decorations may of course be of any type, for examplefigures, or outdoor scenery, or a combination thereof.

In Figures 6 to 10, inclusive, I show a modi- ;fed form .of my inventionwhich is in general the same as that hereinbeforel described; theessential diffe-rence is the light producing mechanism. In this form ofthe invention, the color screen 14 iss'ubstantially cylindrical andcomposed of a plurality ofstrips 15 of transparent or light-passingmaterial such Las glass which arelofdiiferent'colors. These strips areclamped between end pieces 16 which have trunnions 17 for rotatablymounting the screen in brackets 18 depending from the underside of thetop Wall 1 of the casing. One of these trunnions k,may be in the formofY a tube 19 lat the inner endof which is mounted an electric lamp'20,the wires 21 vfor supplyingtelectricity to the lamp .passing throughthetube 19. `For rotating `the screen from the exterior of the casing Imayvprovide a polygonal socket 22 in one of the trunnions with which isadapted to cooperate the polygonal end 23 of a rod`2t which passesthrough one end of the Wall of the casing.

. As shown, a segmental portion of the cylindrical screenpasses throughan opening 25 in thesound-discharging tube 4; beneath the routletopening 2, and .With the lamp 2O inside .the screen, obviously the raysof-light pass upwardlyY through the transparencies 15 and the opening2.against the inner surfaceA 6 of the sounding-board 5,. The coloreilectsthus produced may be instantly changed, at the kWill oftheoperator, by rotation of the cylindrical screen. e e t In Figures l1and 12 is shown another `form of the invention which contemplates thecombination'of a dynamic type of radio loud speaker and a radioreceiving set in the same kcasing with. the sounding board land vlightproducing mechanism. 'As shown, the casing 26'has a top Wall`27 'likethe Wall 1 Which is provided-With an opening 28. Beneath the openingjisarrangedl a'kn'own typefof dynamic Vloudspeaker 29v with the'diaphra ;ml30 in substantially horizontal position and in substantially axialalinement with the opening 28. A ho'rnelike tube 31 serves to conductsoundfromv the loud speaker unit through the opening 28. Radio receivingapparatus 32 may be arranged at the front of the casing, with thecontrol` dials and knobs 320 projecting from the top Wall 27.

Above the opening 28 is arranged ahollow casing extension v33 in which-is mounted a sounding board 34:;substantially identical in segmentalspherically concave surface, a

construction with the sounding board 5. This sounding board is pivotallymounted at 36 to the ends of the extension 33 so as to swing into theextension in surrounding relation to the opening 38 as shown by solidlines in Figure 11, or to swing out of the extension 33 to close thecasing and the extension 33, and enclose the dials and knobs 320, asshown by dotted lines. This type of casina is yshown in my Patent No.1,585,454, dated Iay Within the opening 28 and journaled upon a suitablebracket 37 is a color screen disc 38 which may be identical with thedisc 8 hereinbefore described. The disc is rotatable by a knob 39.Beneath the disc is arranged an electric. lamp or other light source 40with which cooperates a reflector 41 for directing rays of lightupwardly through the disc 38 against the inner surface of thesoundingboard 34.

The operation of this form of the invention is substantially the same asthat Vhereinbefore described, the radio receiving apparatus 32 actuatingthe loud speaker 29 to reproduce sound which is projected through theopening 28 and sounding-board 34 which is illuminated.

W'hile I have shown an described a certain relation between the loudspeaker 29, the Vlamp Y 40, disc 38 and sounding-board 34, I do notdesire to be limited to this specific arrangement which is intendedprimarily as illustrative of the principles of my invention.

' Interchangeable decoration sheets 42 may be utilized in connectionwith the soundingboard 34 just as described in the construction shown inFigure 1.

While I have shown the invention em-` bodied in certain details ofconstruction, it should be understood that it is within the scope of theinvention to utilize the invention in connection with othersound-producing or sound reproducing apparatus, and that the details ofconstruction may be modified and changed by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An ornamental display device, comprising an opaque member having anexposed segmental spherically concave surface, and means concealedoutside the boundaries of said surface of said member adjacent one edgethereof to project light rays of different colors simultaneously uponsaid surface, from said edge thereof, whereby said colors are blended onthe surface to produce an ornamental eflect by reiiection of the lightrays from one portion of said surface to other portions thereof.

2. An ornamental display device, comprising an opaque member having anexposed thereof. CHARLES T. WITTSTEIN.

